Wireless communication is becoming ubiquitous, especially with the advent of the Internet of Things in which numbers of wireless devices are interconnected. While the interconnection of various wireless devices that rely on such protocols as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Wi-Gig, Z wave, Zigbee and others provide interconnectivity without human intervention, the robustness of these wireless links is in question. Link reliability depends for instance on output power, modulation type, antenna configuration, the number of channels utilized and the coding system employed.
Application for wireless devices include medical applications, healthcare applications, household device applications, fitness and training applications, inventory control applications, remote device monitoring applications, beacons and security systems. Mostly the above protocols are utilizing point-to-point communications, many to many communications and many to one communications.
In wireless communication systems, channel dropouts and interfering signals from nearby interferers, multipath, noisy equipment, lack of signal strength, channel fading, blocking structures and other artifacts interrupt the links between the wireless nodes and thus make the wireless network less robust. The net result is that device-to-device communication can be intermittent and can result in system failures.
Nowhere is this more important than in HVAC applications in which for instance a thermostat may be deprived of temperature data which in turn can cause a furnace not to turn on. This can be catastrophic and can lead in some instances to burst pipes, to say nothing of losing HVAC optimization. Moreover if the thermostat were somehow to be set constantly on and calling for heat, the amount of fuel used during this thermostat malfunction cannot be recalled, resulting in non-recoverable fuel costs.
These types of problems are especially prevalent in the home environment in which appliances such as washing machines, stoves, refrigerators, and other wireless devices may be controlled over the Internet through wireless communication between a wireless hub and the particular devices involved. It is not infrequent that household activities are linked to so-called smart phones that are provided with applications designed to control household gadgets. Not only are the above the appliances subject to failure due to failure of the wireless network, even lighting and alarm systems which can be wirelessly interconnected are prone to failure due to failure of the wireless network. More particularly, these networks are very sensitive to the environment in which they operate.
The degree to which the wireless nodes operate properly depends on a number of factors having to do with the radios themselves, the frequency at which they operate, the protocols utilized, their antenna structures, their location, the number of channels utilized, the number of antennas utilized and in general factors related to RF communications including RF feedback, fading, insufficient power, frequency crowding and a number of conditions which are not in the control of the individual for whom the service is to be provided.
For instance it is well-known that garage door openers can be activated by other sources of RF energy. Lack of Bluetooth connectivity can be due to a lack of power, multipath, and intermittent environmentally caused problems, causing the Bluetooth user to wonder whether or not his or her equipment is operating properly. Thus, wireless earbuds may not operate satisfactorily, wireless speakers may not provide the required audio quality, and various sensors such as for instance fire detection sensors, carbon monoxide sensors, temperature sensors, and pipe leak sensors may not have robust wireless communication.
Many of these problems can be alleviated at the time of setup of the wireless network by the proper positioning of wireless transmitters and a spectrum analyzer, and the adjustment of power and other transmission mode parameters to optimize the wireless system. Note that the above problems are exacerbated where frequency channels are unregulated. This is because frequencies for use in wireless communications are often times allocated for general unlicensed use.
Current wireless network evaluation is accomplished with spectrum analyzers, signal generators, portable power meters and portable transmitters which do not adequately address the problem of signal environment analysis and may, inter alia, be too expensive for portable use at wireless device installations. More often they also lack functionality to locate and evaluate weak transmitters in noisy environments. Moreover, technicians must be specially trained in the operation of this complex equipment. Even spectrum analysis on sophisticated lab equipment is unlikely to reveal weak transmitters in interference. There is therefore a need for a system to adequately characterize the RF environment and to be able to suggest optimization procedures.